Two of Northern Ireland’s most significant landscapes have secured more than £1.9 million in development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The money will be used to revive and reconnect the Mourne Gullion and Strangford and Lecale areas, as part of a wider UK programme called Landscape Connections. The initiative is a £150 million, ten-year investment designed to bring together farmers, landowners, communities and partners to restore nature and build resilience across some of the UK’s most treasured places.

Mourne Gullion has been awarded £1.1 million in development funding, with the potential for a further £8.7 million in delivery funding. The project will tackle pressures from wildfires, pollution and land use, restoring habitats and strengthening the landscape’s resilience while reconnecting people with its natural and cultural heritage.

Strangford and Lecale, a coastal landscape facing climate change and habitat fragmentation, has secured over £800,000 for development and could receive up to £8.8 million for delivery. The aim is to create a more connected landscape through large-scale habitat restoration and community-led nature recovery.

The Strangford and Lecale project is a partnership between Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council and Ulster Wildlife. For Mourne and Gullion, a project team has been formed with Mourne Heritage Trust, the National Trust, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Northern Ireland Water.

Across the two projects, dedicated roles will be recruited. In Mourne Gullion, five posts will be created during the development stage, with delivery expected to support a further four jobs, six apprenticeships and a student placement programme for at least 24 young people. Strangford and Lecale will see five roles created locally during development and another five in delivery. Recruitment for the Mourne Gullion project, led by the National Trust, begins in early August.

Dr Paul Mullan, Director for Northern Ireland at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the funding recognises the ambition and partnership needed to secure the future of Northern Ireland’s landscapes. He stated that the development awards will help turn ideas into action and lay foundations for long-term change that benefits both nature and people.

Heather McLachlan, Regional Director of the National Trust, described the investment as a significant milestone for the Mourne and Ring of Gullion landscape, noting that these places are deeply valued but under increasing pressure. She said the funding will allow partners to design a practical, long-term response supporting nature recovery and local communities.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Glyn Hanna, said the investment is a key achievement for Strangford and Lecale and for everyone who helped shape the partnership project. He added that the council will work alongside partners, communities, landowners and organisations over the next two years to protect and enhance the area’s natural, cultural and built heritage.